What Was There About This Young Girl?

July 10th, 2001, was the day that changed the world of wildland firefighting forever…the day that the historic fire catastrophe, “The Thirtymile Fire,” claimed the lives of four young firefighters in the Northern Cascade Mountains of Washington State.

The youngest of those was 18 year old, Karen Lee FitzPatrick, only three weeks out of high school. She was not only the youngest firefighter killed in this fatal fire episode, but was believed to be the youngest female career firefighter ever killed in the line of duty in America, going back into the records over 100 years.

Firefighting safety issues arose out of this controversial forest fire episode that will be discussed until infinity. As a result, greater firefighting safety standards arose that are a greater protection to all firefighters everywhere.

The story of this shocking loss rang out across the world. Karen Lee FitzPatrick, the glamorous yet athletic teen with her classic, statuesque beauty, and huge smile, appeared in a gossamer lavender dress, barefoot, running on the beach in the small waves, and in another pose sporting a huge laugh—on virtually every major television network in the USA and even internationally.

A flag was flown half- mast over the nation’s capitol in Washington D.C. for her, as well as for each of the four young firefighters on successive days of the week of July 11th. It was learned later through the regional Congressman, that Karen’s flag was flown over the Pentagon.

Often called “The Warrior Princess, “ she was also known for her big smile and contagious laughter. One could not help wondering what was this beauty doing out there doing the work of a big tough firefighter, anyway?

Known for her artistic and musical abilities, and her amazing strength and speed—a youth who ran track in the Junior Olympics at only 9 years old, and a high school girl who broke women’s weight lifting records only few weeks before the tragic fire episode, “Angel Promises…Remembering the Youngest Firefighter,” opens up to reveal the heart and life of a girl who lived an exemplary life, and was a fountain of wisdom far beyond her years.

Surrounding herself with art, bible scriptures and wise sayings in her room, often referred to as “Karen Street,” she proved that surrounding oneself with wise sayings and meditating on the high things of God from the Bible, really does produce a human being of deeply rich character, even as a teenager.

As a result of her deeply spiritual nature, a number of well documented supernatural phenomena stories emerged before after and during the historic fire tragedy that puzzle and confound our imagination!

In “Angel Promises,” the reader tours her heart through her essays and poetry, hears about her romantic struggles and tough life decisions, often standing firm for what she believed was right at the cost of even the most precious of relationships.

These four firefighters who seemed to capture the hearts of America, received the most extreme high honors in the way they were remembered by the President, the governor, officials in the White House, the public, and the firefighting world. “Angel Promises…Remembering the Youngest Firefighter” is a rare glimpse into the intimate life of a rare youth who projected love, deep wisdom and inspiration into her community and into her world.

“Angel Promises,” contains over 400 pictures including rare last moments of the fire.

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